Made out of thin, brightly colored paper, a bamboo frame and a candle inside, paper lanterns's primary role has been to protect the Chinese people from the evil. They represent celebration, joy, eternity and fortune. There is a myth that says that there was a great Chinese emperor who had a special dream and he ordered Hindu scriptures to be brought to him. Then, he built a special temple for these Hindu scriptures, which he ordered to be decorated with thousands of paper lanterns in order to symbolize the power of Buddha. And this is how the history of paper lanterns began in China. Today, they are a must-have feature on Chinese festivals, particularly during the Lantern Festival, when people bring paper lanterns with them in order to celebrate the first full moon of the year.
But, how paper lanterns came to the Japanese culture?
It is all due to a Korean Buddhist monk who implemented the idea of using paper lanterns from China, as a symbol of honor towards Buddha. So, let's see how and why Japenese people started using lanterns as part of their culture:
- Stone Lanterns – These were used for religious purposes, particularly for honoring the great Buddha. These lanterns were called “Ishidoro” and were used as a lighting décor of Japanese temples. Today, Japanese stone lanterns are mostly used as garden decorations. So, if you want to give your garden that East-Asian spirit, you can choose from the great selection of stone lanterns for sale available offline and online. There are many reputable retailers that offer quality stone lanterns for sale at affordable prices. Remember that purchasing lanterns for sale is the most easy on the pocket option to to add Asian flare to your garden.
- Paper Lanterns – One incredibly interesting use of the paper lanterns in Japan has been to promote the most popular national foods, or to announce room vacancies. For example, the names of famous Japanese national dishes have been written on the coloured paper of the lantern. This has increased the popularity of lanterns in this Asian country.